1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube connector device for connecting tubes or pipes which are disposed or distributed on the opposite sides of a partition or a panel of an automotive vehicle or a machine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Where a plurality of tubes disposed on an upper side of a floor panel should be connected to respective tubes disposed on a lower side of the floor panel, as in the case of tubing work for a fuel tank of an automotive vehicle, the tubes disposed on the upper side is fixed together to the floor panel through a suitable holder while each of the tubes disposed on the upper side is connected to one of opposite ends of a suitable connector. A lower end of the holder is projected downwardly from the floor panel while each of the tubes disposed on the lower side is connected to the other of opposite ends of the connector, whereby the tubes of the upper side are connected to the respective tubes of the lower side.
With the intention of improving an efficiency in such a tubing work as described above, there are proposed tube connector devices having various types of constructions. An example of the tube connector device is disclosed in laid-open Publication No. 4-114193 (published in Oct. 7, 1992) of an unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application. This tube connector device includes: (a) a plurality of connectors which are fixed to axial ends of respective tubes; (b) two divided spacers for holding the connectors in respective positions; (c) a holder for accommodating and holding the spacers therein; and (d) a retainer for fixedly attaching the holder to a floor panel such that the holder is located in alignment with a communication hole which is formed through a floor panel. The above-described two divided spacers are obtained by dividing a spacer such that one of spacers is located on one of opposite sides of a line extending in a direction of the arrangement of the connectors and such that the other of spacers is located on the other of opposite sides.
Another type of tube connector device is disclosed in laid-open Publication No. 6-36932 (published in May 17, 1994) of an unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application. This type of tube connector device includes: (a) a plurality of connectors which are connected to respective tubes such that one axial end of each of the connectors is attached to one of the tubes; and (b) a grommet which holds the connectors in respective positions and which is fixedly attached to a communication hole formed through a floor panel by suitable bolts. The grommet includes a base portion which has guide walls and flexible tabs. The guide walls are fitted in the communication hole, while the flexible tabs are engaged with a peripheral portion of the communication hole. Further, the grommet is dividable into two pieces, for facilitating attachment of the connectors to the grommet.
In each of the above-described conventional devices, since the holder or grommet for holding the connectors is made of a rigid resin or a metallic material, a sealing member such as an O-ring and a sponge rubber has to be necessarily employed to be interposed between the connectors and the holder or grommet for assuring a fluid-tightness. This results in an increased number of component parts of the device and possibly requires a component dividable into two pieces. Thus, the above conventional device does not exhibit a satisfactory performance in reducing a required cost for the fabrication.